Emily with an Akita outside the stone buildings at Max Canine HQ

Max Canine HQ · Carrog

Boarding Lodge for six dogs.

Reactive dogs, fearful dogs, dogs with specific training or management needs. We take the dogs other places won’t, on 24 acres, licensed by Denbighshire County Council.

Check availabilitySee the facility
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5★ council licensedLicensed by Denbighshire County Council, with £1m public liability cover.
Eight dogs, no moreSmall numbers on purpose, so every dog gets the run of the place.
Entire dogs welcomeIncluding dogs with specific behavioural or training requirements.
15+ yearsWorking with dogs, with a high level of associated qualification.

What we offer

Different to your average service.

As fellow dog owners, we understand the absolute need for a responsible and professional service when you are trusting a family member to someone else.

Run by Emily and Michael, in a boarding lodge we have invested in heavily, because it has to work for dogs who cannot go anywhere else. We do not advertise our boarding: it is prioritised for our own clients, and we only take small numbers.

  1. A free-roaming set up on 24 acres, where dogs mix with our own where suitable.
  2. Indoor and outdoor activity, without restriction, for most of the day.
  3. A secure six foot paddock for dogs who need space from others. No crates.
  4. One walk every day, pack or individual, based on your dog’s needs.
Emily standing in a Welsh field with five dogs sitting around her

The set up

Built for dogs who need more than a kennel.

Six bedrooms

In a converted building next to the house, with its own kitchen for food preparation.

Climate controlled

Individual underfloor heating in every bedroom, plus television and radio.

CCTV and heat detection

Monitored throughout, with panels giving each dog its own space at bedtime.

The run of the place

Dogs who can mix get house, garden and field access all day, weather depending.

Inside the boarding block

Two fox red Labradors and a black Labrador waiting at the door of the boarding block
The bedroom corridor, with a glass fronted room on each side
The kitchen where each dog's food is prepared
The boarding block, a converted white building with its own gravel yard
The entrance hall of the boarding block
The house and the fields around Max Canine

Prices

£40 a day, and every extra listed.

We invoice as soon as you book, and it needs clearing to hold your slot.

BoardingPer dog, per day£40
Each additional dogFrom the same household+£20 / day
Stays of two weeks or moreApplied automatically10% off
Bank holidaysDaily rate1.5×
Training add‑on1 hr session, debriefed by message, email and video£40 / session
CancellationUp to seven days before the stayFull refund

Availability

See what is free before you ask.

We keep this up to date a year ahead, so nobody has to email back and forth to find a date that works.

Month
Space availableFully bookedClosed

How to book a stay

If your dates show space, send us a short enquiry below with your dates and a little about your dog. We read every enquiry personally and reply by email to confirm.

Boarding is for our own training clients first, and we only take a small number of dogs at a time, so popular dates go early.

Check your dates with us

Boarding enquiry

Tell us about your dog.

The short version, so we can tell you quickly whether we have the space and whether it is a good fit for your dog.

The full boarding form with routine, health history, training and emergency contacts comes once the dates are confirmed.

Drop off and collection is 0700 to 0900 or 1600 to 1800, Monday to Friday. We do not offer drop off/pick up at the weekend.

Thank you. Your boarding enquiry is with us, and we will reply by email with availability.

The detail

What a stay involves.

Drop off and collection times

0700 to 0900, or 1600 to 1800, Monday to Friday. We do not offer drop off or pick up at the weekend. We can be flexible on occasion, but these timings protect our downtime with the dogs, exercise and trips out on walks.

What to bring

Food, food bowl, any treats you give routinely, toys, and your dog’s bed/blankets. If you feed raw we have plenty of freezer storage. We usually feed at 6am and 6pm but can be flexible around your dog’s requirements. If your dog needs medication, please bring it with instructions for administering.

The daily routine

We normally start the day around 6am and finish at 10pm for bedtime. There is one walk each day, a pack walk or an individual walk depending on your dog’s needs and training requirements. The rest of the time is spent mostly outdoors, weather depending, with dogs choosing to relax or interact as they wish.

Exercise and security

Your dog will not be exercised off lead outside our property curtilage unless agreed before the stay. For dogs who require secure exercise because of recall, reactivity or DDA, we have a secure paddock with six foot high fencing.

Veterinary care

In the event of injury to your dog we reserve the right to proceed with veterinary assessment or intervention where applicable, and will endeavour to use your current practice where possible. If that is not possible we use our local surgery, Wern Vets in Ruthin.

Payment and cancellation

We invoice immediately on receipt of your booking, and it must be cleared to ensure we can hold your slot. Our cancellation policy allows a full refund up to seven days prior to your dog’s stay.

The Max Canine dog mark, an outline of Emily's first dog, Max

Get in touch

Not sure where to start?

Tell us about your dog. We read every enquiry personally and reply by email, usually with some dates.

Make an enquiry
Emily kneeling on the grass in a Max Canine sweatshirt, smiling at a grey schnauzer cross looking up at her